Floss holder



Dec. 19, 1922. 1,438,939.

L. C. BALL.

FLOSS HOLDER.

man MAY 27,1921.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, 1922.

LOUISE C. BALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

P T E l FLOSS HOLDER.

Application filed May 27,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. LOUISE C. BALL, a citizen of the United States. residing in New York. county of New York. and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Floss Holders. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a floss holder and has for its object a floss holder having arms across which the floss is threaded and through which the floss is quickly unthreaded after being used;

My invention relates in part to the arrangement of slots to hold the floss tightly to prevent it from becoming loosened while in service in tooth cleaning and to permit of its quick release afterwards.

My invention further relates to various 7 other parts hereinafter described.

In the drawings Fig. 1 IS a side elevation of the floss holder. 1 Fig. 2 1s a. plan new of the arms showing the arrangement of slots.

The floss holder preferably consists of a cylinder 3 having a cap 4 or closure secured to it in any suitable way by screw threads for example. The axis of the cylinder passes thru the two sides of the closure and upon the outside is mounted the U-shaped holder.

The cap is provided with a perforation 5 through which may issue the floss. It is adapted to be threaded upon the U-shaped arms permanently secured to the cap 4.

The floss may first be passed into the slot 7. then through the slot 8. Afterwards itis passed through the slots 9 and 10 in succession in the arm 11.

These slots are made somewhat wider at the top than the largest floss thread to be used and somewhat narrower at the bottom than the smallest thread. Q

The slots may be made by a fine saw blade and thereafter a wedge driven in to open up the slots into the form indicated.

This method is used when the arms are made of-metal capable of'bending. If it is made of rigid material the slots should be filed or otherwise cut or molded.

When pressure is put upon the thread in 1921. Serial No. 473,148.

the middle at 12 it causes the floss to bind more tightly into the slots.

\Vhen the thread is to be removed after use the end 13 is lifted by means of the fingers, and, of course, it is released from the slot 10 by a directupward pull after which it slides over the curved surface 14: alnd then by direct pull is released from the 5 0t 9.

The direct pull will also release it from the slot 8. the cylinder 3 is held loosely in the hand. and after the thread leaves the slot 8 it is released from the slot 7 by direct pull.

If desired, the upper edge of the slot 8 may be sharp and the floss cut at this poin by 'means of the direct pull.

It is apparent that any other cutter may be used if desired. and located at any point' in the floss in a manner well known.

The cylinder 3 being hollow is capable of holding a considerable amount of floss preferably in the form of a reel from the inside of which the floss is drawn, from the hole 5. The angle at which the cylinder 3 is connected to the arms permits of the arms to be inserted in the mouth.

Many variations of my invention may be made without departing from its spirit.

What I claim is 1. A floss holder comprising an elongated receptacle having an axis to contain .a bobbin of floss silk, a U-shaped holder to hold portions of said silk for use, and a. closure having two sides intersecting said'axis, uniting said receptacle and holder, one edge of said U-shaped holder being mounted on one side of said closure with the portion of floss held between said arms in a position diagonal to the axis of said receptacle. and the said receptacle being connected to the other side of said closure.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1. having the axis of the cylinder arranged diagonally to the bottom of the U.

3. A floss holder comprising a pair of arms having ll-slots in the ends of the arms, one end having a V-slot from the top down- Wardand arranged across the arm and another slot from the outer end and reaching portion let to permit easy unthreading' of used Silk.

5 The combination claimed in claim 1 10 having the receptacle cleta-Chably connected to said closure.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixecl my signature to this specification.

LOUISE C. BALL. 

